This invention relates to a moldable and/or extrudable polymer possessing structural units derived from certain hetero oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen-containing cyclic amide monomers and to surgical devices such as staples.. clips, sutures, pins, screws, prosthetic devices, hernial repair meshes, growth matrices, drug delivery devices, anastomosis rings, etc., manufactured from the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,048 discloses a 6-membered ring compound, referred to as a 3-morpholinone, containing an amide linkage and a hetero oxygen atom. Polymerization of the alkaline metal salt of the 3-morpholinone with a chloromethylated vinylaryl polymer results in the incorporation of the 3-morpholinone ring structure in the resulting polymeric derivative.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,106 discloses a linear fiber-forming, water absorbable polyamide having ether linkages in the polymer chain. The polyamide is obtained from the polycondensation of a diamino ether with a diacid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,086 discloses a fiber-forming polyamide hydrogel possessing hydroxymethyl groups in the aliphatic chain. U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,220 recognizes that the polyamide of U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,086 is bioabsorbable and is suitable for use as a surgical suture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,614 discloses a 7-membered cyclic amide, referred to as a 3-oxacaprolactam, possessing a hetero oxygen atom in the ring. Polymerization of the compound provides a sticky, viscous, orange-colored material of relatively low molecular weight. Such a material is neither moldable nor extrudable and as such would not be suitable for the manufacturing of the medical devices contemplated here.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,931 discloses a bioabsorbable poly(esteramide) which can be employed as a surgical suture. The poly(esteramide) is prepared by reacting a diamine with lactic acid or glycolic acid to form a diamidediol, the latter then being reacted with a dicarboxylic acid to form the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,437 discloses a fiber-forming polyamide derived from the polycondensation of a diamine possessing one or more etheric oxygens with a dicarboxylic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,397 discloses a polyesteramide formed by the reaction of a dicarboxylic acid possessing at least one etheric oxygen with an amino alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,491 discloses a fiber-forming polyamide derived from the polycondensation of a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid both of which possess one or more etheric oxygens.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,086,162 and 5,118,785 disclose fiber-forming, water absorbing poly(esteramides) derived from diamines possessing one or more etheric oxygens.
German Pat. No. 1 195 317 discloses a process for the manufacture of a 7-membered ring compound, referred to as 1-thia-4-aza-5-oxocycloheptane, possessing an amide linkage, a hetero sulfur atom, two carbon atoms between the carbonyl of the amide linkage and the sulfur atom and two carbon atoms between the nitrogen of the amide linkage and the hetero sulfur atom. The compound is said to be useful as an intermediate product in the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations and polycondensate plastics and as an effective inhibitor of self-oxidation processes.